Blog Site Discontinued June 23, 2017

Welcome. This blog site, healthy eating and food safety, has been discontinued as of June 23, 2017. I look forward to your comments and feedback regarding use of this tool to disseminate educational information.

Tuesday, March 9, 2010

Spring Clean Your Refrigerator

The refrigerator is a highly used appliance that does not always get the cleaning it deserves. With thoughts of spring and spring cleaning, plan to schedule some time to take a look at what is in your refrigerator as well as give it a good cleaning.

Begin by checking dates of foods kept in the refrigerator. It is wise to do this on a regular basis like once a week. The following refrigerator chart can be an useful guide when determining whether or not to keep foods. When in doubt, throw it out.

http://www.ksre.ksu.edu/humannutrition/hrap/storage/stochart.htm

For best cleaning results, refer to the owner’s manual. Here are some tips to get you started.

• Wash the inside of the refrigerator with warm water and a clean sponge. Rinse and wipe down with paper towels.

• If the refrigerator has an odor, place an open box of baking soda in the refrigerator.

• Keep the front grill free of dust. Clean the condenser coils with a brush or vacuum. Remember to unplug the refrigerator when cleaning the coils.

Purchase a refrigerator thermometer. This inexpensive item is essential to knowing the inside temperature of the refrigerator. Place the thermometer in the center of the middle shelf (not on the door). The internal temperature should be 40 degrees or lower. A temperature higher than 40 degrees can increase the likelihood of food borne illness. Refrigerator temperatures can vary from season to season, so check the thermometer on a regular basis. If necessary, adjust the settings on the control dial accordingly.

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